Stitch and bitch thread #6. What a yoke!

[NutellaEllaElla]

The other thread is so painfully slow so lets hope a shiny new one will run a smoothly as a well behaved sewing machine. Pin your places here my lovely stitchers

Sounds like there have been a lot of trials and tribulations here.

I have finally finished my 5 dress marathon. It's the Cashmerette honeybourne fitted to DD. She has just started work so this gives her a start for a work wardrobe. Yes, there are two dark red dresses. The first was a wearable toile. The last is a cotton linen blend.

@SBAM I can also recommend wearing 1 wireless earphone if needing to quiet after smalls are in bed!!

Well done Gnome! They look good.

I've had a good sewing day today. I'm hoping to complete this dress in time to wear it at a birthday party next weekend.

Thank you @NutellaEllaElla they always look a bit dish rag when hanging up but I am pleased with the fit. DD finds it tricky to buy off the peg as she is bigger on the bottom half than the top.

Next projects are likely to be a rain cape for DS (WW2 re-enactment) and a tent for DSIL! Lots of duck canvas to manhandle!

Hi all, pastabest sent me over here from a Sewing Bee thread on Telly Addicts. I'm nearly finished my first garment since I was in secondary school (so slightly over four decades ). I've made about a million quilts though, so I have been sewing, just not clothing. It's the Gabby dress by Fibre Mood. This one was cheap fabric as a wearable toile. The real dress has quite a few modifications to the pattern so I wanted to make it as the pattern first. The fabric was a bit too light-weight which caused a couple of problems, mostly that the underneath part shifted around a little when cutting the pieces that were on a fold. I'm also going to need to wear a slip as I can see right through the fabric. The real dress shouldn't have the same problem as it's a much denser cotton.

It's hanging up now for a few days before I do the hem so that it can drop if it's going to. I've included a close up photo of my pattern matching because it too me AGES and was very fiddly, but I'm glad I put the effort in.

Welcome @BlackAmericanoNoSugar that pattern matching is spot on!

Wow that is impressive pattern matching! I had no idea there was even a seam there. That's a lovely fabric too. Welcome @BlackAmericanoNoSugar !

Welcome @BlackAmericanoNoSugar. I'm always on the look out for people to recruit to the mumsnet dressmakers club. 😁

I made another pair of bobs out of some robert kaufmann linen in a kind of mustardy colour on the weft with black on the warp.

I waft about in them now feeling all bohemian. I'm never wearing jeans ever again.

Can I join? Unlike most of you wonderful sewists, I am a complete beginner at a ripe old age. Until a few months ago I had only hand sewn my DCs name tapes when they were at school, and the odd hem that had come down…badly. I just decided to treat myself to my first ever sewing machine and learn online using Tilly and the Buttons Love at First Stitch and other video tutorials. I don’t have any natural crafty or creative talent at all and my sewing is rough and ready, but am really enjoying my first steps. So far, TATB Margot PJs for me, Delphine Skirt for DD and still battling with an aspirational wearable toile of the Stevie Dress also for me, where I have made a proper pigs ear of the neckline facing! 🤣

Welcome @Rosenspants!

Sounds like you have chosen a really good place to start. It's absolutely addictive once you get the bug especially if you go down the instagram sewing rabbit holes!

Ooh enjoy. I absolutely LOVE wafting about the place

Welcome @Rosenspants and Wow! Sounds like you're flying already! I found it to be a huge learning curve. I'm definitely still a beginner, started dressmaking 2 years ago and started this thread to get advice from more experienced people since no one in my friends or family sew.

Anyway, i'm hooked now (apart from temper tantrums when it's not going my way) and i'm really enjoying my current Sew Over It Eve wrap dress project. Everyone says how awful it is sewing with satin but i'm finding it fine??

Welcome @Rosenspants I’ve been sewing for probably 12 years now, and still consider myself a beginner! I learnt mostly by reading blogs (I used to read Tilly’s blog before she was on sewing bee), and by trying and (sometimes) failing and trying again. It’s a brilliant hobby.

@NutellaEllaElla I think everyone has fabrics they get on well with. I used to see online all the time that jersey was difficult, but I’ve never found it troublesome.

@pastabest speaking of recruiting people - I complimented a little girls personalised sweatshirt at toddler group the other day and got into a lovely sewing chat with two other ladies - turns out she’d sewn it herself. I found out about a local fabric shop I’d never heard of too 😊

I think my machines broken 😭 I have frantically googled repair places and I’ll be making a call in the morning to see how quickly I can get it sorted.
I’d only been thinking earlier that my machine is way overdue a service 😩

Oh no @SBAM! I hope you can get it repaired quickly.

Sewing is definitely addictive. My favourite way of passing a train journey is doing a fantasy trolley dash through one of the online fabric retailers.

@NutellaEllaElla I think everyone has a sewing superpower - yours is obviously satin. Mine is definitely not zips.

Ah I see. Unfortunately I already know my sewing Achilles heel then, bindings 😬

I can't remember who it was but someone on one of these threads said they loved sewing with silk? I was impressed by that.

Thanks all! In fact, I come from a long line of seamstresses and tailors who never had the patience to teach me or my siblings to sew. There was no internet then of course, so we relied on the skills being handed down, taught at school if you did needlework (I didn’t) or books.
I have unpicked the puckered bits of the neckline facing at the back of the Stevie dress and pressed it all flat and repinned it into place. I might just hand tack the seams first to see if there’s really any improvement.

Welcome @Rosenspants. I learned the basics from my mum but I’ve really only developed as a dressmaker in recent years. Possibly because I have more time but probably because Mum wasn’t fit and able to fix my mistakes in recent years and now isn’t around at all. It was a great moment of personal pride when I was trusted to shorten her trousers and bodge her nightwear into button up versions of themselves.

I’ve had a good weekend’s eBay selling so I’ve ordered the Sauvie pattern pack from CLC rather than printing it myself. I’m no further with the Lora dress as my sewing room has become a dumping ground during a big spring clean. I’ve got post-op DH around as well which is a distraction but a nice one as we’re trying to get out and about a bit.

I do need to start soon as wedding guest outfits don’t make themselves but there are so many things I’d rather be making instead. I may end up wearing last years McCalls 7969 at this rate

Welcome Rosenpants. I'd love to see some photos of your makes.

Ok … trying to attach. PJs, skirt and Stevie dress toile which I’ve managed to improve a bit by unpicking some of the facing and re sewing it more carefully. Fortunately the fabric batik pattern hides my embarrassing mistakes rather well.

I don’t know if the images posted. It keeps saying sensitive image 🤷‍♀️

I'm thinking about making something for my granddaughter. I've already crocheted her a cardi and made her a baby quilt, so I'm aiming for over-achieving, extra-credit granny status with a dress as well. I'm really surprised at how many dress patterns have buttons part or all the way down the back. That can't be comfortable for toddlers when they're strapped into car seats. For instance, I absolutely love this pattern (screen shot in photos because I can't copy and paste a link for some reason) but it has a button closure all down the back.

Also photos of the cardigan and quilt (as a flimsy before it was quilted).

I'm having a lot of trouble with photos and links at the moment too. Hopefully it's temporary.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar have you seen the Twig and Tale Petal Dress

I’ve made a few now, for my DD and as gifts. It looks very impressive but it’s a pretty straightforward pattern and really well written. If you make it with snaps it’s completely reversible too - very handy for toddler lunches out!

That's very cute SBAM, I have subscribed to get the free download, and I'll check out their other patterns too.